Carpinteria

Understand

Located in California's Central Coast, this city of about 13,000 is most known for its large sandy beach and state park. Los Angeles, the state's largest city, is 77 mi (124 km) to the east and Santa Barbara, the nearest major city, is 10 mi (17 km) to the west.

Get in

By car

Highway 101 goes north to San Francisco and south to Los Angeles.

By bus

Santa Barbara MTD provides bus service to Goleta and Santa Barbara. VCTC operates buses to those cities as well as Ventura and Oxnard. Greyhound stops in Oxnard and Santa Barbara.

By train

Amtrak has a station on the Pacific Surfliner route between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, via Los Angeles. The nearest stop for the long-distance Coast Starlight train, running between Los Angeles and Seattle, is in Santa Barbara or Oxnard.

By plane

Santa Barbara has an airport which flies to several destinations. Los Angeles International Airport is about 100 mi away and has cheaper flights to many more destinations. There is an airport shuttle, Santa Barbara Airbus, which travels 8 times a day to/from LAX.

Get around

By foot

A great way to get around, given that the city is small and compact.

By car

Moving a car can be a hassle, especially in the summer when it is crowded. However, parking is free throughout the city.

By bus

There was a shuttle bus run by Santa Barbara MTD which traveled in a loop around the city on 20 minutes increments, but it has been suspended since 2020.

By bike

Another good way to get around.

By rideshare

E-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft can be used to get around the city. The Santa Barbara MTD plans to operates a rideshare service called The Wave with designated pickup locations, but it has not yet launched in the city.

Go next

• Ventura - Located on the coast 23 miles southeast of Carpintera, Ventura is home to many interesting shops, the historic Mission San Buenaventura, and is the gateway for excursions to the Channel Islands National Park.
• Ojai - Located 22 miles to the east, Ojai is a popular weekend getaway for Southern California residents, offering wine tasting, art galleries, hiking, horseback riding, spas, and a rustic environment for those looking to escape the big cities.
• Montecito - Bordering Santa Barbara and located along the ocean, Montecito is located eight miles west of Carpinteria and is one of the wealthiest communities in America, home to stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rob Lowe. Visitors seeking luxury, and who can afford to pay for it, will appreciate the upscale resorts; those who would rather not pay a small fortune for lodging can still enjoy the beaches and excellent restaurants.

History

Prior to European settlement, Carpinteria was home to the Chumash tribe of Native Americans in the village of Šujtu (later known as Mishopshnow). In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá and his crew settled the village for Spain and named in La Carpinteria, which eventually evolved into what it is known as now. In 1912, Carpinteria made an effort of modernization to attract tourists and adopted the nickname World's Safest Beach, which it still uses today. Traditionally, agriculture and fishing such as avocados, grapes, and nuts were the main economic activities. In the 1960s, oil fields were developed in California Offshore Oil Field, and oil manufacturing became the main industry, and food processing and manufacturing industries also developed. It is a resort located in the middle of Ventura and Santa Barbara, and there are camping grounds and trails along the beach, so you can enjoy fishing, boating, and surfing. The nearby coast is famous as a breeding ground for seals and sea lions, and it is an area where various sea creatures, including gray whales, live.